Flush valve



Aug. 4, 192-5. J. A. M CORMICK Q FLUSH VALVE Filed A119;' 28, 1922 62 E .5 a9 15 k9 .Z. a I 19 Patented Aug. 4, 1925.

JOSEPH A. MCCORMICK, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

FLUSH VALVE.

Application filed August 28, 1,922. Serial No. 584,659.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, JOSEPH A. McCon- MICK, a citizen of the United -States, reslding at Chicago, in the county of Cool; and p State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Flush Valves, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates toyvalves and more particularly to flush valves.

It is common to control the opening of this type manually and to provide for an automatic shut-off. During the flushing period, a predetermined amount of water should flow at a certain rate to the vessel to be flushed. .In order to secure this result it is desirable to maintain the above predetermined flow of water for a desirable period of time. This is commonly accomplished by arranging a timing member within the valve body, so that after the flow of a certain amount of water through the valve, the valve automatically closes. It is common to employ a pressure operated member and a chamber arranged to receive a predetermined charge which accumulates slowly therein through an orifice in order to effect the automatic shut-ofi' properly. In order to be able toinake the valve and cooperating parts of relatively small dimensions, itis necessary to make the chamber small. This means that the rate of flow into the chamber must be small, but it must be certain. I

The matter of securing a predetermined rate of flow through-a small orifice has presented practical and dilficult problems. Foreign substances in the water tend to clog this orifice and consequently destroy the desired timed relation in the operation of the valve. Through one of the features of my invention this difficulty has been overcome by the provision of means for permit ting a reduced flow into the chamber through a metering orifice, protected by a strainer having a multitude. of orifices all smaller than the metering orifice. .The assembly of the screen and orifice plate or diaphragm in the moving piston is also novel as will be set forth in detail later.

A further object of my invention is to provide an improved form of manual control mechanism. So far as'I am aware, the

spring supporting the control has heretofore been placed within the valve body where it is subject to, corrosion. In the resent arrangement, I have overcome this difficulty by disposing the spring outside of the valve body and providing an improved form of cup leather packing or gasket to prevent leakage bet-ween the control valve stem and valve body.

A further object is to provide positive and sufiicient means for refilling the bowl after flushing. After the flushing has been completed, the flow is diminished suddenly to a point where it is not sutficient to supply the full cross section of the trap of the closet bowl being flushed. The siphoning action will then cease in time to permit the water which is last discharged into the bowl to remain in the bowl. The bowl proper will thus be refilled and-a seal provided to prevent backward flow of the sewer gases.

In order to apprise those skilled in the art how to construct and practice my invention I shall now describe one embodiment thereof in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which; v

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a flush valve embodying my'invention; and

Fig. 2 is a side view of the same.

The flush valve embodying my invention is particularly designed for use in connection with water closets where the operation of the valve should preferably constitute two distinct actions, the first being to flush the bowl, and the second to break off siphoning and thereafter furnish sufficient water to lie in the trap to serve as a seal against backward flow of sewer gases.

Consequently, the valve 1 shown in the drawings is designed to provide a sudden rush of water through the outlet. opening 9, and thereafter diminish the flow to interrupt the siphoning action and then slowly discharge water until a water seal is formed in the bowl of the water closet.

The body of valve 1 is provided with a chamber or cylinder 4 having at one end lies between opening 9 and inlet chamber 4 and connects with the opposite end of the valve by a by-pass 6. The valve body is formed with an annular vertical flange 31 internally threaded for receiving the renewable valve seat ring 32. A main valve member 33 carries a yieldable Valve face 3 a the outlet opeuing 9. An outlet chamber 5;

adapted to seatupon the valve seat ring 32. This valve closes ofi communication between inlet chamber 4" and outlet chamber 5.

Tail piece 10 connects with outlet opening 9 by suitable union connection 8.

Valve 33 is preferably formed integral with a horizontal plate 35 having a central bore and spaced from said plate by a plurality of vertical web members 36, bet-ween which water passes to a port or orifice 37 provided in a diaphragm 38, the central part of which is formed into a cup. The cup 38, together with a strainer 39, comprises part of a piston 40, operating in chamber 4. \Vater is admitted in to the valve body throughinlet opening 16 disposed adjacent to but below the piston, and by virtue of its position the opening 16 will never be closed ofi by the piston 40. The screen or strainer 39 is so placed with respect to the water inlet 16 and discharge port of the valve 33 that when the valve-is opened the inrushing water tends to clean the screen. slowly. enters the upper part of chamber 4 above the piston through port or orifice 37. thus moving the piston slowly'downwards to seat the valve 33 upon the seat ring 32. The piston is provided with cup leathers 41 and 42 which maintain a tight fit withthe walls of the cylinder. The cups are faced in opposite direction and clamped against each other and to the plate 35. The cup leathers require suitable backing in order to maintain a'tight working fit with the surrounding cylinder. phragm 38 extends through the cup leathers from the upper side. The flange a ove the cup 38 is clamped against the margins of the cup leathers. holding them in place. against the flange 35. The strainer 39 which is also cup shaped, has integral cylindrical walls which nest or telescope with the cylindrical walls of. the cup 38. The strainer 39 has'a push fit upon the cup 38 and may readily be removed for changing or the like. The control 47 is adapted to nest in the central por-' tion of cup 38 when piston 40 is inj-upper position.- The formation of the diaphragm into cup shape makes possible several advantages. The nesting of the valve 47 and cup 38 allows the cylinder4 to be made rela-- tively short. The cup 38 permits of an advantageous form of screen and its position in relation to the inrushing water tends to clean itautomatically.

A bonnet or head 2 properly secured to the upper part of the valve body is provided with a pocket 3 forming a continuation of by-pass 6, in the main valve body 1. A manually controlled push button bearing a valve 47 controls a port- 46 between the cylinder 3 andthe exhaust passageway or by-pass channel 6. Each time the push buttonis depressed, the water trapped in thechamber 4 is discharged to the outlet Water The cup or diachamber. This is accomplished b unseating valve 47 from port 46in the bonnet 2. Control valve 47, which seats with the internal water pressure, is moved to seat posi tively by the spring and by the internal water pressure. As soon as the pressure is removed from the push button the valve is free to seat under the influence of return spring 19. This manual control valve as sembly comprises a valve stem 50 threaded at the lower end to receive a flanged nut- 51, and having a flange 52, between which flange and the nut is confined a yielding rubber valve body 47. Stem 50 threads at its upper end into a button base 21 which carries a retaining ring 24. It will be noted that the rin g 24 26 maybe readily-replaced if so desired. Ring 24 is flanged to embrace and accommodate the upper convex face of the. button. The cylindrical wall 18 about the pocket 3 forms a cylinder and serves to guide the shank 22 of the button base 21. To provide an eflicient water joint or packing at this point, an inverted cup leather 60 is secured on stem 50 just below shank 22. The spring 19 for returning the plunger button to upper position confined between a flange 20 and the button base member 21, and outside the .pocket 3. This spring lies outside the wall '18 where it is entirely out of contact with the Water.

A bonnet cover 30 lies over the bonnet 2, so that its upper part 29 forms a cylinder and protects the spring 19. Retaining ring 24 lies over flange 29 and overhangs the upper edge of the bonnet cover. To prevent the rotation of the plunger when the ring 24 is to be turned on its threads, a pin 61 is embedded in the base member and projects to engage in slot 62 cut in the upper edge of wall 18. The pin 61 and slot 62 may be engaged by depressing the button against the spring 19.

The operation of the valve isas follows:

Assuming that the cylinder 4 has been properly charged with water and that the other mechanism is ready to be put into operation. The control valve 47 is then unseated .ii'rom' the port 46 by the button 26 being manually depressed. The internal water pressure; will force the piston upwardly, pushing the water trapped in cyl inder 4 out through port 46 and into the bypass 6; the valve 33' will'then be lifted from its seatv because of the difference in areas oi piston'4O and bore of valve 33. As soon as the control valve 47 is cracked open the main valve tends to unseat very easily. As long as the control valve 47 remains unseatcd. the piston 40 will stay in its upper posi'tion. However, when cylinder 4 is again closed on the side of the control valve, piston 4O gradually lowers and seats the main valve 33. The pressures on opposite sides mined by this refill arrangement.

of the piston 40 are equal when valves 33 of cylinder 4 and 47 are closed. Refilling d is returne to This plug or boss is of slightly smaller diameter than the bore of surrounding seat ring 32. This recessed boss overlaps into the guide ribs, so when its lower edge enters the seat bore and the full water supply stops, a reduced water supply may still flow through the seat opening all as predeter- As the main valve 33 seats slowly the water flow decreases suddenly because of the entry of the solid port-ion 65 into the opening in the valve ring 32 and this breaks the siphoning action in the bowl, and finally allows a water seal to form in the trap and bowl proper. Final closing off occurs when the valve face 34 rests on the valve seat ring 32.

The openings in strainer 39' are considerably smaller than port 37 so whatever 7 passes through the strainer will not clog the port. Furthermore, the strainer 39 is large enough to allow suflicient water to pass to satisfy port 87, although the strainer may be partly or almost fully clogged.

The particular construction of the push button is unique and has many advantages, largely due to the location of the spring 19.

- Being on the outside of the water seal,'the

spring 19 will not be subject to the action of the water as in devices of the prior art where the spring lies on the inside of the valve body. The bonnet cover 30 and ring 24 house the spring and protect it against damage.

As-shown, the valve 47 is formed of rubber of a size substantially that of half of a Fuller ball. Thus, J for renewing the valve 47 a Fuller ball may be cut into half and employed.

Obviously a lever instead of a pushbutton 21 173.3 be employed to actuate starting valve I do not intend to limit myself to the details herein shown.

I claim 2- 1. In combination, a' cylinder, a head for said cylinder, a fluid operated piston in said cylinder, a control valve in said head, a plunger push button connected with said control valve and carried as a unit on said head, a cover extending over said head and part of said push button, aremovable ring on said push button for permitting. axial movement of said cover to uncover said head, and means for removing said head whereby access to said control valve is had.

2. In combination, a cylinder, a fluid 0perated piston in said cylinder, a main valve adapted to be seated by said piston, a second cylinder, a push button guided in said second cylinder and having a connection with a control valve, a removable ring having rotative movement relative to said push button,

and-meanson said second cylinder and said push button engaging with each other to prevent rotation of said push button when said ring is moved relative to said push button.

3. In combination, a cylinder, a fluid operated piston in said" cylinder, an inlet and an outlet opening at one end of said cylinder, a main valve operated by said piston for closing off communication between said openings, a control valve at the other end of said cylinder, a cup carried by said piston, said cup having an orifice therein, a second cup lying over said first cup on the side adjacent to said openings, said second cup having holes therein of smaller size than said orifice in said first cup.

4. In combination, a cylinder, a fluid operated piston in said cylinder, an inlet and an outlet opening at one end ofsaid cylinder, a main valve operated by said piston for closing off communication between said openings, the other end of'said cylinder being closed off by a control valve when seated, said piston comprisingla pair of cup leathers with a metal cup over anging from one side of said piston, an annular flange on said cup for re-enforcing said cup leathers onsaid control valve side, a connection between said main valve and said piston having a similar re-enforcing extension thereon for the other side of said cup leathers, and an orifice in said overhanging portion of said cup.

5 In combination,-.a cylinder, a fluid operated piston in said cylinder, an inlet and an outlet opening at one end of said cylinder, a main valve for closing ofl the communication between said openings, said 1 outlet opening at one end of said cylinder,

a main valve for closing off the communication between said openings, said valve controlled by said piston, said piston comprising cup leathers re-enforced by members of greater rigidity than said cup leathers, one of said members being cup-shaped in the center thereof, said member having an orifice in said cup portion, a strainer for said orifice, said strainer extending substantially in the path of the flow of the fluid entering said cylinder through said inlet opening when said piston is in lower position.

7. In combination, a cylinder, a head for said cylinder, a fluid operated piston in said cylinder, a control Valve in said head, a second cylinder in axial alignment with first said cylinder, a push button connected with said control valve, said connection extending through said second cylinder, a spring between said push button and said second cylinder, 21 covering lying over said head, a removable ring on said head and overlying the upper portion of said cover, said sprin being disposed within said cover and sai ring.

8. In combination, a cylinder, a piston in said cylinder, said piston comprising a pair of cup leathers faced in opposite direction and clamped against each other, a plate against one of said cup leathers, the middle portion of said plate being depressed into a cup and extending through said cup leathers, said cup provided with an orifice for permitting fluid to flow through said piston.

9. In combination, a cylinder, a piston in said cylinder, said piston comprising a pair of cup leathers faced in opposite direction,

a plate against one of said cup leathers, the

middle portion of said plate being depressed into a cup for extending through said cup leathers, said cup having an orifice therein, and a strainer cup having a push fit between the walls of said cup and said cup leathers.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 7 day of August, 1922.

JOSEPH A. MCCORMICK. 

